1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a disk loading device, and more particularly, to an improved slot-in type disk loading device for directly inserting and removing a disk-like recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a disk unit such as for example a CD-ROM device, in which information is recorded and/or reproduced (hereinafter recorded and reproduced) to and from a disk-like recording medium (hereinafter a disk), a disk loading device is provided to both load and eject the disk. These disk loading devices are of two types: A tray type, in which the disk rests on a tray and the tray is moved back and forth to load and eject the disk, and a slot-in type, in which the disk is directly inserted into and ejected from the unit.
In the case of the tray-type disk loading device, racks are formed on the floor and sides of the tray. A motor drives a pinion that engages the racks so as to move the tray to an eject position or a loading position as the case may be.
In the case of the slot-in type disk loading device, a roller located on the inside of the slot is supported by a loading arm and retains the disk in place. When the loading arm rotates in a direction that inserts the disk into the unit, the disk moves to a predetermined loading position. To eject the disk from the unit, the loading arm rotates in an eject direction and expels the disk from the slot.
When the motor does not operate, such as during a power failure, the disk can be ejected by a manual operation (hereinafter manually). The tray type disk loading device is constructed so that the tray can be extracted manually by unlocking a tray lock.
By contrast, in order to eject the disk, the slot-in type is constructed so that the loading arm must rotate in the eject direction, which means that the loading arm must be rotated manually. The conventional slot-in type disk loading device manual eject method, disclosed for example in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 3-286467, involves inserting a long, thin shaft into an aperture in a front panel of the unit and rotating the shaft so as to rotate a gear that engages a gear on the motor shaft located inside the unit, thus manually rotating the loading arm so as to eject the disk.
However, a disadvantage of the manual eject method disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 3-286467 is that, by rotating the shaft inserted into the aperture and thus rotating the motor shaft in the eject direction, the loading arm is rotated in the eject direction via a reduction gear, which requires considerable rotation of the shaft inserted into the aperture, with the result that much time and effort is required to rotate the loading arm in the eject direction and eject the disk from the insertion slot.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful disk loading device in which the above-described disadvantage is eliminated.
The above-described object of the present invention is achieved by a disk loading device comprising:
a slot into which a disk-like recording medium is inserted;
a retaining member that retains the disk-like recording medium inserted from the slot;
a moving member that moves the retaining member so as to retract the disk-like recording medium in a disk insert direction during insertion and expel the disk-like recording medium in a disk eject direction during ejection;
a drive mechanism that drives the moving member in the insert direction and the eject direction; and
a manual drive member that, when pressed, slidingly engages the drive mechanism and drives the drive mechanism in the eject direction.
According to this aspect of the invention, simply by pressing the manual drive member the disk can be ejected from the insertion slot, and thus the disk can be ejected more easily and more quickly than with the conventional rotation method.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the manual drive member has a press portion pressed by a pin inserted from a hole provided on a front surface of a unit in which the disk loading device is loaded.
According to this aspect of the invention, it is relatively easy to operate the manual drive member so as to eject the disk.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the manual drive member has a rack that engages a gear of the drive mechanism when the press portion is pressed and the manual drive member moves.
According to this aspect of the invention, the drive mechanism gear can be rotated simply by pushing the press member, without having to rotate the shaft as well as is conventionally the case.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the manual drive member further comprises an impelling member that impels the disk loading device toward a position prior to movement;
a first guide groove for guiding movement of the manual drive member when the press portion is pressed;
a second guide groove for guiding movement of the manual drive member when the press portion is pressed and rotating the manual drive member by using an impelling force of the impelling member so as to separate the rack from the gear of the drive mechanism when pressure on the press portion is released.
According to this aspect of the invention, by repeatedly pressing the press portion of the manual drive member the necessary stroke of the moving member required to eject the disk can be secured.
Additionally, the above-described object of the present invention is achieved by the disk loading device as described above, wherein the drive mechanism comprises:
a motor;
a worm driven by the motor;
a worm wheel that engages the worm;
a first gear that drives the moving member and which is integrated into a single unit with a shaft that passes through the worm wheel;
a clutch plate having a hole that accommodates the shaft and which moves in a direction of the shaft with respect to the worm wheel so as to engage as well as separate from the worm wheel;
a second gear that engages the rack of the manual drive member; and
a pressing member interposed between the second gear and the clutch plate so as to press the clutch plate against an inner wall of the worm wheel,
the rack of the manual drive member transmitting a rotation of the second gear to the shaft and the first gear and transmitting a rotation of the motor to the first gear via the worm and the worm wheel and the clutch plate.
According to this aspect of the invention, the motor drive route and the manual operating route can be used separately.